Little Red Cup Tea Company, Green Mao Jian

Little Red Cup Tea Company:
Our special organic Green Mao Jian Tea is an unusual mountain-grown tea from western Hunan Province. The tea is named for the abundance of tiny hairs covering the leaves when they are picked in the spring and for the sharply pointed shape of the leaves once rolled in the finishing process.

Green Mao Jian Tea is one of the most delicate green teas we have seen. Steeped normally, it produces a lovely pale green brew with meadow notes and light forest scents. A stronger brew may be obtained using more tea leaves, warmer water and a longer steep time. Even then, this tea is not bitter. An excellent tea for those who want to enjoy a green tea without the punch that so many ordinary greens carry.

Our Green Mao Jian Tea is pure whole leaf organic Chinese tea, Fair Trade certified and sublimely drinkable. A marvelous tea to accompany you throughout a busy morning and into the early afternoon, a tea both for the dedicated tea consumer and one for the casual tea drinker as well.

Price: $8/3 ounces

Sample provided by Little Red Cup Tea Company

My Review:
This is my first experience with Little Red Cup Tea Company. Reading through their "Our Company" page gives some clues what to expect.

First, we want to offer the kinds of teas that our friends routinely drink in China: simple, traditional, whole leaf varieties. You’ll find no Mango-Walnut-Green-Tea-Surprise, no breakfast blends. Though our teas are of fantastic quality, we’ve priced them for everyday consumption.... 

As mentioned in the tea description they are also concerned about Fair Trade and organic. Sustainability is another priority for this company. There is a lot to admire about Little Red Cup Tea Company. Let's see if their tea matches their intentions.

I opened the sample and a grainy scent moved slowly out of the bag. The dry leaf is twisted, dark, and kind of wispy looking. I used about 3g of leaf in my press with filtered water heated to 175F. The steep time was 3 minutes. The result is a lovely golden liquor. The aroma of steamed spinach met me before I removed the lid. The leaves are small and pea green.

The sip revealed a light taste that is fresh and inviting. It has some bite but is not at all bitter. It is not grassy or floral when hot. It is hard to describe. Open is the best word I can come up with. Slightly mineral and lightly fruity. Others had some trouble describing this as well. Many of them noted milky but I am not getting milky with my brewing method while the cup is hot.

Oh, I walked away to play some guitar and when I picked up the cup it was room temperature. Now I get the milky others mentioned. More importantly, I think the flavor has really come alive. This is now very fragrant with almost oolong floral qualities. Very, very nice once cooled. I might need to try this one iced. You can easily get two mugs from the leaf, possibly more.

Summation - When hot it is light in body and mild in taste, at the same time the longer you sip the more you want. Once the cup cools it really comes alive with flavor. A very nice everyday affordable Chinese green tea.

Visit Little Red Cup Tea on the web.